Folding carrier.



0. H. GRONK. FOLDING CARRIER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1912.

1,085,670. Patented Feb. 3, 1914;

2; sums-sum 1.

Witnesses Inventor Attorneys C. H.0RONK. I FOLDING GARRIBR. APPLICATIONFILED NOV. 7, 1912, I 1,085,670, Patented Feb. 3, 19M

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor Attorneys Witnesses CHARLES H. onoNK, or corms, NEBRASKA.

FOLDING cfimmn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Batentetl FebQS, 1914.

I Application filed November 7, 1 912. Serial No. 730,088.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. Cnomga citizen of the United States,residing at Curtis, in the. county of Frontier and State of Nebraska,have invented a new and useful Folding Carrier, of which the followingis a specification. I

The present invention appertains to a folding carrier for vehicles, andaims. to provide a carrier for luggage which is attachable or applicableto buggies, carriages, wagons, automobiles and sleighs." I

The present invention also contemplates a carrier adapted to besupported at the rear end oi": the vehicle, or from the rear runninggear, so that the carrier is yieldably supported by theatle and isslidably connected to the body of thevehicle or to the hanger securingthe body to the spring carried by the axle. n

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carrierconstituting a back and a platform hinged thereto, means being providedfor supporting the plat-form when swung downward' I o .A further objectof the invention is to pro vide an apron carried by the back and whichmay be unfolded or opened so as to shield the luggage from exposure,either to the sun, rain, snow or other atmospheric conditions.

To the, above and other ends, which will appear as the nature of theinvention is further understood, the present invention resides in thecombination and. arrangement ofparts and in the details ofconstructmnhereinafter described and'claimed, it being understood that changes'inthe precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can bemade withinthe scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvent-ion.

The invention has been illustrated in 'its preferred embodiment 1n theaccompanymg drawings, wherein s1nul'ar reference characters have beenemployed to denote corre;

sponding parts, and wherein Figure 14is a perspective view of the car-'Tier as applied to avehicle; Fig. 2 is a rear perspectlve vlew ofthecarr er. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of thedevice, parts. being re moved.Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view. parts being removed. Fig. afragmental bottom view, taken on an enlarged scale.

"Fig; 6'is"a--tragmental view in perspective of a detail. l

Referring specifically the Cllzntlllggill back of the carrier has beendesignated by the numeral 8, and the platform by the numeral 9, each ofthe said parts being preferably constructed from a suitable board orother materiaL- The backand platform are rectangular in contour, and areof such a size as to accommodate the particular vehicle to whichthey areto be applied, it being understood that this device may be constructedin Various sizes or proportions according to the whim of the user orother circumstances. I

To the outer face of the back 8 are secured a pair of angle iron members10, one adjacent each end, said members being arranged vertically anddepending below? the lower edge of the back. The fi ngesot-the angle.

iron members 10 which are secured to the back pro ect inwardly or towardeach other, and strips 11 connect the said flanges and are secured tothe back adjacent its-upper and lo'we-nedges' Wooden or other member s1i2 are'preferably secured to the back a'd o1n1ng the tree flanges ofthe angle iron members 10, and are coextensive with the ends of theplatfornnthe said members haw, ing one of their flanges secured directlyover the ends of the platform and having their other flanges overlyingthe bottom face of the plat-form, a plurality of strips or cleats Mbeing sechred kingitndmallyon the np-.

per face of the platform and having their ends preferably secured. tothe flanges of'the angle iron members-13. The stripsli are adapted tosupport the packages or luggage placed on the platform, and thereforeprotec-tthe platform from wear. a

The platform being hinged to the back ad-' jacent the lower edge of theback is permits ted to fold upward against the outer face.

of the back, and when lowered or unfolded toa horizontal posit-ion, 1ssupported in such position by meansof a pair of angle iron braces 15pivotedto the lower ends of theangle ron members v1O below the platform9, the free ends of the braces 15 being connectedbya cross rod 16working through a pair of looped guide' -bars 17 secured at their.extremities to the platform with their bends projecting to the pivotededge of .the platform. The extremities of the looped guide bars 17 aresecured to strips 18 se cured to the lower flanges ofthe angle ironmembers 13, the said strips18 terminating short of the inner-edge of theplatform, so

that when the platform is lowered,,the cross bar 16 will strike theinner end of the strips 18 to support the platform in a substantialmanner. The lower ends of the angle iron members are also so formed asto limit thereof, the said plates being secured at their upper ends tothe back and.{ having their lower ends free so as to provide'leafsprings 20, the lower ends of the leaf springs being bowed or curvedaway from" the plane of the back so as to extend under the axle of thevehicle. The free ends of. the springs 20 are formed into eyes 21through which the rings or loops 22 engage, straps 23 being passedthrough the rings 22 and having buckles 24. The straps 23 are designedto be looped about the body of the axle so as to secure the free ends ofthe springs to the axle, thus yieldably supporting the carrier from theaxle in order that 'the luggage carried by the platform will not bejarred or jolted due to the vehicle traversing rough roads.

The back may be slid-ably connected to the hanger connecting the upperleaf of the elliptical spring carried by the axle and the body of thevehicle, so that the carrier will be held in position for vibratorymovements relative to the elliptical spring and the body of the vehicle,this being accomplished in the foll wing manner: A pair of metallicstraps or strips 25, which are doubled, have the sections thereofsecured over the two faces of the back so as to straddle the back, theinner sections 26 of the straps being spaced from the inner face of theback and providing vertical guides. The bends 27 of the straps 25 arearranged about the upper edge of the back. Rings 28 are engaged to theguides 26 and are slidable vertically thereon, and through the rings arepassed straps 29 including the buckles 30, so that the straps 29 may belooped around the ha uger connecting the spring and vehicle body, theupper leaf of the elliptical spring, or any other suitable part of thevehicle. it being noted that the rings 28 in slid-ably engaging theguides 26, will permit the hangcr, the upper leaf of the ellipticalspring. or any other part of the vehicle. to vibrate relative to theback of the carrier. It will thus be noted that the carrier isyield-filly supported from the axle, and is connected for vibratorymovements to t part of the vehicle above the axle in order adapted to besecured around the articles or luggage held on the platform to retainthe same in position.

The apron hasbeen designated by the numeral 35, the same beingconstructed of canvas or any other fabrics and having one end attachedto the snap hooks 32 by means of the loops 36, onotherwise. This apron35, when unfoldedtor unrolled, may be swung over the upper edge of theback and over the luggage inorder to shield the luggage from expositre,the straps 33 being adapted to be secured over the apron and thereforeholding the apron in position over the luggage as well as retaining theluggage against accidental displacement.

When the apron 35 is folded or rolled up, the same is adapted to be heldin position, as illustrated in Big. 1, by means of the rings or loops 37engaging loops 27 and straps 38 passed through the rings 27 andembodying buckles 39, the str. s 38 being adapted to be looped around t1e apron to retain same in rolled or folded position, in rear of theback.

For the purpose "of effectively holding a milk can on the platform, theleaf spring 40 has been secured to the inner face of the back, the loweror free ends of the leaf spring depending from the back and being bentinto a hook 41 projecting t-hroughthe space or gap between the hingededges of the back and platform. This hook 41 is adapted to engage thebottom chine of the milk can placed upon the platform 9 in order to holdthe milk can from vibrating on the platform: The upper end of the leafspring 40 is formed into an eye 43 above the upper edge of the back, aring or loop 44being connected to the eye and a strap 45 being connectedto the ring 44 and including a buckle 46. This strap 45 is adapted to besecured over the top of the milk can or around the neck thereof so as toretain the milk can upon the hook 41, and assisting the book 41 inholding the milk can in position. The strap 45 is also employed forretaining the platform 9 in folded position, this strap being engageablethrough a ring or loop 47 carried by the free edge of the platform. Itis also possible to employ the straps 38 for engaging the bails, handlesor other parts capabilities of the present device will heninnifest tothose versed in the art, it being noted that. the present device isapplicable to various vehicles, and to the-rear ends thereof, in orderto be out of the Way and so as not to encumber the ordinary use of thevehicle. The carrier is also yieldably supported so as to prevent theluggage carried thereby from being undul y jolted. It will also beevident that the objects aimed at have been carried outs'eiisfactoriiy,-and that the present device provides a desirable onefor the pu'rposesifor which it is designed.

,llnvingthusdescribed the invention, Wind is claimed as new is 1. Acarrier for vehicles embodying at beck attachable to a vehicle, avplatform hinged to the back, on apron attached to the inner side-oi thehack and adapted to he opened over the back and platform, and

straps attached to the ends of the hack, and being adapted to beconnected together over the luggage on the platform and over the apron.l

A carrier for vehicles embodying :1 back attachable to .a vehicle, aplatform hinged to the back, an apron attached to the inner side of theback and adapted to beopened over the back and platfornn'straps attachedto the ends ofthe back and being sidztpted'to be connected together overthe luggage on the platform and over the apron. and straps attached tothe upper aige of the hack and adapted to be looped around the apronwhen it is rolled up.

3, A carrier for vehicles embodying a back attachable to a vehicle, aplatform hinged thereto, a leaf spring depending from the back onvthe/inner face thereof and having'a. hook at 'itslg'free endhprojectingbetween the-plattorm and back for engaging the chineof a milk cah placedon the platform; and means carried by the upper edge of the back forholding the top of'the earn 4. A carrier for vehicles embodying a backattachable to a vehicle, vertical menibers secured to and depending fromthe hack, a platform pivoted to the nemhers looped guide bars securedatftheir extremities to the platform with their bends projecting to thepivoted edge oftheplatform, braces pivoted to the lower ends of the saidmembers, and a cross piece connecting the free ends of the braces andpgssing through the said looped guide bars.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing" as my own, I have heretoafiixed my signature in the presence of two WliLllQ: es.

7 CHARLES H. CRONK. Witnesses:

J. E. BOAS,

F. E. DILLMAN.

